Construction of Bournemouth's first Dementia Care Scheme officially gets underway tomorrow, 25 March.

The Mayor of Bournemouth, Councillor Beryl Baxter will turn the first turf at the site in Draper Road, Kinson marking the start of the construction of the scheme which will provide residential accommodation for people in the early stages of dementia.

The £3.5 million scheme has been funded through a combination of Council borrowing, a £1 million contribution from NHS Bournemouth and Poole, and funding of £1.4 milllion from the Homes and Community Agency (HCA), administered through the Local Authority New Build (LANB) scheme.

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Councillor Douglas Spencer, Cabinet Member for Housing and Social Support said: "I'm extremely pleased to see that work is underway to build this specialist housing which is due to be completed before April 2011. This scheme is a first for Bournemouth and it will be a real asset to the community providing improved quality of life and dignity, and promote independent living for our residents with dementia."

The HCA's Regional Director in the South West, Colin Molton said: "Investing in housing that meets the needs of older and vulnerable people is a top priority for the HCA. As more people in the South West are growing older, this places increased demand on housing that meets their needs. That is why we are delighted to be involved in this innovative new development."

(CD/GK)